Update:Introducing: The Broker
The Broker Hilde tied the horses to the post, then quickly followed her big brother into the tavern. In her eagerness, she nearly tripped over his heels, spilling out questions in rapid succession. “But what does he do? Why is he always around? And why doesn't he ever talk with anyone?” Oskar glared down at the squeaky pest at his heels, nipping back, “Quiet, or someone will hear you. We can talk at the table.” The big, burly hunter and his little runt of a sister struck such a contrast that they tended to draw momentary attention when entering a room. Most assumed it was a father with daughter in tow, took one look at the cultivated meanness in Oskar’s eyes, and turned back to their drinks. “When will he be here? Why do we have to wait? What’s in the bag?” Hilde’s tumble of questions started back up once they had a tankard, a mug, a shank, and a large loaf of dark, hard bread. “Wait til we are seated, I told you already.” The big man scanned around until he found a satisfactory location in a corner. Sitting with his back to the wall, he finally began to answer his sister’s persistent questions. Growling in a low tone, the words nearly completely buried in the boisterous sounds of the tavern crowd, Oskar began to explain to his aggravating, stupidly loyal, and unwaveringly persistent littlest sister. “The man we are about to meet, he doesn’t like to be talked about, so I am going to tell you what you need to know, and then you are going to shut up about it, right? The man is secretive, and anyone that wants to deal with him asks few questions, or else he simply will not deal with you. He is.. he is… well I don’t know what to call him. Mercenary? Broker? Something of both I figure. He gets things that other people need from people who have them.” “Doesn’t that just make him a trader? A merchant? Is he - OH wooooo is he one of those Lead, uh, Bronze… Iron - ” “Shut your mouth girl! No he is NOT. They don’t exist.” Oskar growled at her again, he seemed practiced at this particular vocalization. “But you don’t know what I was gonna say!” The impatient young girl look defiantly in her brother’s eyes and stole a bit of bread from his plate. “Yes I do, and shut up about it. They. Don’t. Exist.” Oskar quickly shoved the remainder of the bread into his mouth before she could steal more. “Then what is he? Why are we here? Can we go see CAEMLYN!? I want to see Caemlyn! Can I see the queen! What is his name? What’s in the bag? Why is he special?” The stream of questions seemed to take the path of a drunkard's walk, if that drunkard were walking at a quick trot. “He’s not a merchant, sister, he acquires things, but only special things that very very important people want. People in power who want certain things done or undone, and are willing to reward with favors, prestige or money. He has… connections, and knows who, in what nations, or of what organization, wants what, sometimes before they know it themselves.” Oskar felt he had explained the situation quite plainly, despite the use of many vague and abstract words, each of which provoked another yet-blurted question from his little sister. Upon seeing these pre-stated questions in the expression of his sister’s eager young face, Oskar said, definitively and preventatively: “Shut up about it.” “You say shut up a lot, mum says I don’t have to listen to that” Hilde trailed off as she noticed her brother tracking some movement in the crowd. A short man, built like the stump of some ancient, hastily chopped down tree, with a bristly, splintered and distinctly unfriendly look about him was moving through the crowd. More like the crowd was moving around him out of his way - even a trio of drunken soldiers seemed to recognize something in his expression that brooked no obstruction. With a look, the odd, rough hewn man sent Hilde scurrying out of the chair next to her brother, leaving a second seat with its back to the wall. The man planted his wide, stocky body in the chair, ignoring the girl and giving Oskar a curt nod. The two drank silently for a moment, Hilde watching both with bated breath. Despite seeming to see everything, she suddenly noticed that her brother’s belt had a new purse of coin that had not been there when they entered the tavern. Likewise, the dark burlap sack was gone from the spot he had laid it. Hilde looked up at the eyes of the “broker”, and wished she hadn’t. Without further word, he stood, and again walked a direct path to the exit, the crowd moving around him. Voice much much lower than normal, and speaking quite a bit more hesitantly, Hilde asked one final question, “Oskar? What was in the bag?” “You don’t need to know what was in the bag. Shut up about it.” Later that evening... In the shadows cast by the city wall, among the stalls that were built up against the stonework, the broker stood. A soldier came down the makeshift alley between the shanties, ignoring the wretches scrambling out of his way. He stopped at the broker, and a silent exchange happened. The soldier moved on, a dark, lumpy sack in one hand. The broker was gone. ---- ---- ---- ---- The Summary: The broker is a new mob which can be found in Four Kings. He gives rewards for announced, temporary, such as a weekend-only, quest goals in game. Unique or rare mobraid-boss heads (such as the head of the dark saboteur), rare (not normally loading) mobraid or quest “minions” or “lieutenants”, and specially announced quest items can be turned in. Clanned characters are rewarded with qps, and unclanned with vials. Interact with him for more detail, and for special time-limited items that he wants. Most quests will also be announced here and on the Facebook page. If you give him an item or scalp that he does not want, he SHOULD drop it without any penalty to you, so if in doubt about whether you can turn in something, it shouldn’t hurt to try. As with all new features, please report bugs or loopholes as soon as they are found. PLEASE NOTE: The Broker is well connected. Attack him at your own risk. NOT ALL Mobraids will be rewarded by the Broker - this is meant to be a nice perk, not to set the bar of rewards so high that we end up not doing fun, spur of the moment raids. He should not attack any side unprovoked. This guy is in beta. We would like to see if this will be a fun way to deliver content. We shall see! EDIT: I didn't get this guy in as early as I would have liked tonight, Friday 22 May. I will be giving (mostly LS) things to do for him throughout this weekend, but don't be confused if you go see him and he hasn't got anything you can actually do RIGHT NOW. I must be off to bed, but I shall most likely kill you all in the morning!